5 Tips for Easier Visits with your Doctor
For many people, navigating a medical appointment can feel daunting, nerve-wracking, intimidating, or maybe a mix of all three. Oftentimes, people leave their appointment feeling like they weren't able to adequately voice their symptoms, or like the provider wasn't able to address all of their concerns within the course of one visit. To optimize your time and help make your visit feel more productive, here are five tips within your control that can help make for a better experience at the doctor’s.
1. Clearly Communicate your concerns when you call to schedule your appointment.
Be as specific as possible about what you'd like to address when scheduling your appointment. Even if you're experiencing something you consider to be embarrassing or personal to discuss, it is important that the scheduler knows as much information as possible in order for them to set the needed amount of time for your visit. Being clear and honest about your concerns also helps your provider be better prepared for your appointment and the topics you're wanting to discuss.
2. Show up early for your appointment, and always bring your insurance cards!
Sometimes there is new or updated paperwork to fill out, or the front desk may need new copies of your insurance or to update your demographics. If you arrive early to complete these tasks, there will be no concern that getting these administrative items accomplished will eat into scheduled visit time with your provider.
3. Ask your parents and grandparents about their health history.
Although most families don't tend to share a lot of information about health diagnoses and health concerns with each other, they should! Knowing which diseases, cancers or other physical/mental health conditions family members have had and sharing that information with your provider can help them hone in on specific screenings you should do. It also helps them ascertain possible risk factors that can potentially be mitigated.
4. Keep a list of your medications on your phone or written on a piece of paper.
As talented as many health care providers are, if you tell them you take "a little white pill for blood pressure", it may be difficult or impossible for them to know for sure which specific medication that may be. Keeping a written list on your person, on your phone, or being sure you can access your medication list through a pharmacy app can make your visits much more efficient. This will keep your providers from having to spend time trying to decipher what medications you are taking, and instead you can both dedicate the visit to discussing your health.
5. Bring a list of concerns you want to discuss during your visit.
How many times have you grocery shopped without a list, only to get home and realize you forgot an important item? Even if there isn't enough time in your visit to address all of the concerns you are having, bring a list of the symptoms you have been experiencing so you don't forget to mention anything. Be sure to prioritize discussing your symptoms by importance: in the case you run out of time, you can schedule a return visit to review items that are of lesser significance to you.
Using these helpful tips to make the most of your visit, you can facilitate more productive doctor visits and better health care outcomes for yourself. Thrive offers comprehensive primary care for the whole family including health promotion, maintenance, and management, in-house labs and vaccines, patient consultation, education, and counseling, and diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic diseases. We recommend visiting your primary care provider at least every six months to check in on your health. Schedule an appointment with our caring team of physicians today!
